The Amulet of Power Read Online Free Page B

Able.
    Now, as soon as Mason returned, she was determined to find out exactly what she was Ready and Able
for
.
    He entered the room almost as the thought crossed her mind, and set a tray down at the foot of the bed.
    “I’m afraid the food isn’t much better than the accommodations,” he apologized, and then pointed to the various things on the tray. “Mango juice, melon of some sort, tea. I tried to get some eggs, but they don’t have any. Ditto for coffee, in case you prefer it to tea.”
    “This will be fine,” she said, taking a sip of the juice. It burned the cuts on her lips, but at least they didn’t feel quite so dry once she had finished. Mason walked to the wooden stool and seated himself, and she turned to him. “It’s time for answers, Kevin. Who are these people, and why are they trying to kill me?”
    “What do you know about the Amulet of Mareish?” asked Mason.
    “Just that it’s supposed to be about four thousand years old and that it was created by a Sudanese sorcerer named Mareish. It is said to give its possessor certain extraordinary powers, two of which are great physical strength and invulnerability, and a third is immortality. It is said that he who owns it will possess irresistible charisma and be an absolute ruler of men. Supposedly, once Mareish realized just how powerful it was, he didn’t trust his king or anyone else with it, and he took it with him to his grave. Most people think that it’s a myth.”
    “And what do you think?”
    “I have no opinion. Why?”
    “Because it’s not a myth,” said Mason. “It is very real, and quite possibly the most powerful artifact in the world.”
    Lara shook her head. “If it existed, and did all that the legends say, someone would be wearing it right now, ruling the world and living forever. Or are you going to tell me it’s still buried in Mareish’s tomb?”
    “No,” he said. “It is not in Mareish’s tomb. I’ve looked there.”
    “Well, this is all very interesting, whether true or a fairy tale, but it doesn’t explain why people are trying to kill me.”
    “Hear me out,” said Mason. “They’re after you because they think you’ve got the Amulet.”
    “That doesn’t make any sense!” Lara protested. “It’s a Sudanese artifact. Why in the world would they think that it’s here in Egypt?”
    “Because Chinese Gordon was smarter than anyone gave him credit for.”
    “Chinese Gordon?” she repeated. There was something familiar about that name. . . . Then she had it. “Are you talking about General Charles Gordon?”
    “You
are
feeling better,” said Mason with a smile. “Gordon made his reputation by winning a series of absolutely brilliant battles in China in 1863 and 1864, and got his nickname there, too. Chinese Gordon, the Englishman who was the equivalent of any ten Chinese generals—or so they liked to say.”
    “I’ve read about him,” said Lara. “He was one of the great Victorian heroes. After China they sent him to the Sudan, and he single-handedly ended slavery there. He was probably more popular than anyone in England except Queen Victoria herself.”
    “With people who didn’t know him, anyway,” said Mason. “He was a hardheaded, totally undisciplined sort, always ignoring his orders. The only reason he wasn’t mustered out was because he succeeded spectacularly every time he disobeyed his superiors.” He paused. “They even made a motion picture about him. Huge budget. Of course they hired an American, Charlton Heston, to portray him, but then what can you expect from Hollywood?”
    “Okay, we’re talking about the same General Gordon, the one who died at the fall of Khartoum,” said Lara. “That was in 1885, well over a century ago. What does it have to do with me?”
    “I’m coming to that,” said Mason. “Eat your melon and be patient.”
    “I’m not much better at taking orders than Gordon was,” she shot back. “I’ll eat when I’m ready to.”
    “I thought